Category Archives: Series
Welcome To Skopje
In between Belgrade and Athens is the country of Macedonia, and its capital Skopje. I could either go straight through to Greece or stop over for a while. Guidebook says nothing about it so that’s where I want to go.
I took the night train from Belgrade. It was supposed to take less than 9 hours, but this being Eastern European rail, I knew it’d be more. More than 10 hours later we arrived. I walked down the platform and was greeted by the familiar “taxi” call of the drivers. I ignored them. I changed some money and went to look for some info.
The window marked “information” had no information about the city. Nor did they know where I could get any. Train info only I suppose. So I asked around the shops for a map of the city. Nothing. But one shop keeper figured that “maybe guy over there have map. He open at 8:30.” 30 minutes to kill.
I went for breakfast and noticed the universal ‘i’ meaning “information”. Walked over to the place and it was empty inside. No desks, no chairs, no people, no maps. “Closed for lack of interest” it might as well have said. At 8:45 the map guy was still closed. I learned quickly that in Macedonia, signs mean little. Which is fine since there are so few of them.
Actually, people seemed to try to spite them. Nobody waits for the “walk” signal, but risks death as often as possible. Some wait for the “don’t walk” sign to pop up before scampering across the street. Same thing with sidewalks. They’re not just for walking, but also for parking and driving! Even at the train station, some people line up on the wrong side to wait for the train, even if there’s room on the platform!
And things get more upside-down, still. I was at a restaurant and was surrounded by flies as I sat there wondering what to order. I was preparing to defend my bounty from them, but when it arrived they went away. Twice a fly approached and was easily shooed away. The third time I didn’t try to shoo him, but he turned away anyways. After that I didn’t fear them trying to share with me again.
But I digress. Where was I? Oh yes, trying to find any kind of tourist information I could. Well I’d seen a map of the city and I kind of knew where some things were. I knew where a hostel was and where the center was, roughly, compared to each other. As luck would have it I found a sign for the hostel so I followed it. Until it came to a dead-end with no indication which way to go.
I walked one way for a while and then another and felt like I was close, but not close enough to risk getting lost. I knew what street the hostel was on, but none of the streets are marked so that’s a crap shoot. If Belgrade was difficult to navigate even with a map, Skopje would be impossible without one.
OK, time to seek out some fresh Internet. And some coffee. I hoofed it toward where I thought the center was and ran across a park. Free Internet. Nice, but no coffee. Fortunately there was a mall just up the road where I found both.
I pulled down a map of Skopje to my phone and checked out some things to do on my laptop. (Google really let me down. According to their map, it’s only a highway with a dot beside it. Actually I just checked and they’ve added a bit more detail in the last day or so, but still not much.) I also found a great travel site with information about Skopje.
Then I set off toward a hostel to check in and drop off some of my stuff. I got settled into the place – very reminiscent of the Communist-style housing I was accustomed to by now – and headed back out to explore the city. But first, I was given a photocopy of a tourist map and had some of the places pointed out to me there. Finally.
The main sites I wanted to hit were the Old Market, Kale Castle, some of the mosques, the Stone Bridge and others. There wasn’t anything particularly spectacular about the places except that they were not at all touristic. The castle was undergoing reconstruction, but the rest of the places seemed to have remained the same for decades or centuries. But more on that later.
This only scratches the surface of a place like Skopje. And it puts it in a bad light, but this is the first impression I got. I’m happy to say that impression was not the whole story.
Belgrade, Serbia
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Serbia and Croatia have many similarities. However, when I stepped off the bus from Zagreb to Belgrade, I walked into a stark contrast of what I’d left. The streets were dirty and the park directly across was dirtier. People lounged about outside with noplace to go and taxi drivers shouted out their services.
But don’t let this description turn you off. The railway and bus station are not entirely characteristic of the place as a whole. There are many nice places there and it’s very safe. Most of the parks have free Wifi, provided by Telenor. The main square and pedestrian shopping street is nice, as is the main street for restaurants.
As for getting around, it’s nearly impossible unless you know exactly where you’re going. Only about one-in-five streets is marked. Which is more than can be said for the numbering on the buildings. Some streets are just missing altogether, due to construction. And it doesn’t help that the signs are in Cyrillic but the maps are in Latin script.
But I can sound out the foreign type fairly well and still couldn’t find my way around. I looked for five hostels but only found two. And after meeting some guys we tried to find three different locations of the Black Turtle but were unsuccessful. One is tempted to give up because of the need to climb up and down hills to get everywhere. I’m guessing the town is under some kind of a curse from way back. I mean maybe not, but what other explanation could there be?
That being said, once you get to the main part of the city, it is very walkable and compact. The main street is completely pedestrianized and strolling around is easy. It begins at the Trg Republica and ends at the semi-restored Kalemegdan Fortress.
This ancient structure, some walls 15 meters thick, presides over the Sava and Danube Rivers. Surrounding the batlements is a nice park for strolling. Or you can have a seat and use the aforementioned free Wifi. There are several little stands selling inexpensive tourist merchandise as well. Just make sure to haggle a little. Sunset over the confluence is striking.
The hillside overlook afforded this area explains the importance of Belgrade to civilizations stretching back over a thousand years. Control of this point means controlling trade. And the strategic importance is only enhanced by the high vantage point overlooking the surrounding area. The view lets you see the incoming invaders and traders and strongly defend and attack, if need be.
The area around the old athletic complex on the southeast side of the city is a testament to the recent turbulent past. In 1999, NATO bombed the place for a couple of months. The scars are still visible in this area. The complex itself, carved out of the rock hill on one side, is now host to a couple of dreary cafes and clubs but not much else. And a building lies in ruins one one side. A memorial commemorates two who lost their lives in the campaign.
A day is all you’ll need to see most of the sights by foot. Stay longer if you want to visit any museums or enjoy the nightlife, said to be some of Eastern Europe’s nicest. There are plenty of sidewalk cafes which turn into bars after dark, as well as dance clubs. If you can find them.
One restaurant of note is the “?” restaurant, across from the cathedral. Service ranges from a step above hostility to mildly courteous. And you should be prepared to dispute extra charges (though not the 18% service fee). But it’s a landmark.
Built at the same time as the cathedral, of which it offers an up-close view, the church was unhappy about the proposed name so the ? was a temporary solution that has stuck. And the menu is similarly quixotic. Bowels. Entrails. Calf’s head in tripe. Hungry yet?
As Serbia prepares to enter the list of Schengen countries, travel here will become easier and the capital city will greatly benefit. In 5 years it will likely rival Zagreb in cost as well as cleanliness. Construction is going on in large sections of the city in anticipation of new visitors. See it now while it is still one of the best deals in Europe.
Plitvička Jezera, Croatia
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Plitvička jezera (Plitvicka lakes) is a National Park area in Croatia. It has been treated specially by the government since the late 1800s and is a UNESCO site, meaning it has special heritage to all nations of the world. And yet my guidebook doesn’t mention it.
The park is about 2 hours outside of Zagreb and is about 3 hours outside of Split. That makes it an optimal stopover in between the two. The only public transport is by bus. So I headed to the station to get my ticket, hopped on the bus and informed the conductors where I was headed and sat back and relaxed.
About 2.5 hours later we went by a bunch of signs for the park, then the signs lessened. I went to inquire as to when we’d be getting to the park and was told that I was supposed to signal the driver just before the stop. That seemed a bit counter-intuitive for a tourist destination because if you know where you’re going you’re probably not a tourist. So I was let off at the next stop where I caught a bus going the other way.
An Austrian woman was busy trying to convince the driver that yes, in fact, she did want to go to the park and to please let her off at the entrance. He feigned ignorance of the place. “I don’t know which is right stop. You tell me when.” She protested and finally convinced him that he’d be worse off by making it hard on her than by just complying. I took advantage of that and got off with her and the very well marked entrance with large signs, nearly impossible to miss if you’d driven the route even once.
Once inside the park, there are trams and ferries to get you around from place to place. There is also a wooden board walk that navigates the area. It’s well marked and there are several different suggested routes with estimated times to complete. The place is very well run.
The lakes are mineral lakes and come from deep springs, or so I’m told. In between each is a waterfall. The unique topology and mineral deposits apparently make this possible. It reminded me of Yellowstone National Park in the US.
The park is serene and peaceful and you can spend hours there. I’d suggest going in the morning – maybe even overnighting there. A number of hotels, hostels and private rooms dot the area surrounding. It would make a perfect stopover between Split and Zagreb.
Zagreb, Croatia
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Zagreb sits mainly on the flat land around some foothills. The contours are obvious on a map by looking for the roads that twish sharply, those that refuse to continue and the designated green spaces. Fortunately, most sites are on the flat lands, or nearly so, and the city is compact enough to walk around it in a day.
Leading from the train station to the main square is a series of parks, making the short walk more pleasant than taking the tram. I was told that taking a couple of stops on the tram is free. However, in practice nobody seems to have a ticket no matter how far they’re going.
Zagreb’s main square is the Trg Bana Jelacica – a bustling open pedestrian area crossed by trams but forbidden to cars. Numerous stores trace the borders. Just behind the square and up a few stairs is the city’s fresh food market – open daily until 2pm or until the sellers can move their goods off the grounds. Usually it’s the latter.
Up the hills a bit further on the Kaptol side you will find the cathedral that watches over the city, as well as the Archbiship’s Palace. Ribnjak park sits behind that, sprawling into the Gornji Grad.
On the other side, leading up through Gradec, the “upper city”, is Tkalciceva which also leads to the Gornji Grad. This excellent walking street is flanked by cafes and restaurants and is wonderful for sitting and watching the world go by. A couple of streets west is St. Mark’s, the Croation Parliament and the Museum of Zagreb.
Zagreb seems to be a young city. At night the square comes alive with young people, walking, talking, sitting, and generally congregating the way young people do. The preferred drink on Tkalciceva changes from espresso to beer (pivo) and the people continue to sit in groups on the patios and enjoy camaraderie.
The people of Zagreb, and I’d guess the rest of Croatia, are tall – both women and men. And quite attractive, unlike some countries where there is a disparity between the genders in quality of their looks. Many of the people I saw could have passed for models.
I stopped into a few places here for food or for an espresso.
- Mali Medo is a restaurant that brews their own beer. They call it a Pivnica. The beer is tasty, as is the food. The specialty of the house is a three-meat combination platter served on what seems like a small pizza crust with a gravy-like sauce. Tasty and filling.
- Nocturno is a local favorite and serves Italian cuisine as well as Croatian dishes. Good and cheap.
- Tolkien’s house is a cafe/bar with a great selection of beers – including a few Belgian ones. The small inside feels quite cozy. The walls are lined with memorabilia and kitch that evokes the spirit of Middle Earth. The dishes and drinks are similarly themed. In fact, the menu is covered with scribblings and drawings which are inspired by the famous author.
- Paladium is a small cafe that is packed with students because of its prime location and cheap coffee.
Things To Do In Budapest
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There are weeks worth of things to do in Budapest. Aside from some of the others I’ve mentioned, like the baths, the nightlife, etc, of course. Here’s a quick run-down on some of the other things.
- Climb Buda hill and visit the palace on the top. You can take the tram up – they call it a funicular. It was built in 1870 but it still serves the purpose. There’s a church up there, too and several small cafes.
- Walk along the Pest side of the Danube and look across to the Buda side. Start at the Parliament building and end whenever you get tired of seeing the sights.
- Visit the Parliament and take a tour. I hear it’s very nice, though tickets sell out quickly.
- Have a cappuccino and a torta at the Gerbeaud. It’s pricey for Budapest, at around $8, but well worth it. The place has been in business since the 1860s so they must know something about making good treats.
Burrito In Budapest
Arriba Taquiera in Budapest serves mission-style burritos. 1300Ft=$7 ish. Red sauce is too sweet. Green sauce has a slight curry flavor. Tortilla not right. Not enough rice an beans so it’s mostly tortilla. Carnitas too salty and dry. One of the worst burritos I’ve ever had. The best I’ve ever had in Europe.
Baths of Budapest
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I hiked up the Gellért hill to the Citadella and took in the spectacular views from the top. It’s really magnificent up there. I walked around the hill and the remains of the old fortifications and then hiked down again.
On a whim I decided to stop into the Gellért baths. I didn’t have a swim suit or a towel. I explained that to the lady taking money and asked if I could buy those there. She said “No problem, no problem. No need.” I figured they probably had rental suits so I went on in.
I explained my situation to the next person and he also said “No problem” and handed me a loin cloth. Actually this is the preferred way for the Hungarian men to go to the baths. The baths are segregated by gender for just this reason. I was a bit uneasy at first but quickly overcome my trepidation.
There are two large tubs, for lack of a better word, under a large canopy with tile mosaics and decorations. One of these pools is at 36 C, the other at 38C. Fresh water from the underground springs pour out of the mouth of some sort of figure on either side of the room. In the center, there is a walkway between the two and on it, fresh, cool water is spit by other figures.
At the far end of the area is the stream room, a cold water bath and some showers. Closer to the entrance are the dry rooms. You are expected to stay for a couple of hours or so and enjoy all of the amenities. I could only stay for an hour because they were closing.
When I left I felt completely rejuvenated. I expected to merely be cleaner, but instead found that I was more awake and fresh. Drained only of stress. Colors looked more vivid, blacks darker and I felt very much at ease. I was ready to explore the city more, to walk around by night and see the bright lights glowing. And so I did.
Budapest, Hungary
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One day here is a crime. Two a shame, three a pity and four a minimum. Budapest is quite possibly my favorite city that I’ve ever visited. It has been billed as one of the greatest places in the world and certainly lives up to the hype. This is a treasure on the Danube.
Buda and Pest were actually two separate cities until the 1800s when the first permanent bridge was erected, connecting them. Buda, which lies to the west, is hilly and feels ancient. Pest, on the east bank, is flat, more modern and busier. The two souls inhabiting the same body make the place feel at the same time young and old, sleepy and vibrant.
If you have a couple of hours to spend on a stopover or something, I’d highly recommend you cross over to Buda, climb up to the statue of Szent Gellért then keep going to the Citadella and take in the view. Don’t worry about making it back for your train because you’ll decide not to go wherever you were headed.
The baths are incredible, nightlife is fantastic, the cafes are wonderful, architecture is breathtaking, history is expansive, public transit is efficient. The city has a lot of everything.
Take, for example, the Vörösmarty tér. On the north is St. Stephen’s church, built over approximately sixty years during the 1800s. Construction was delayed because it collapsed and was rebuilt. The church houses the mummified hand of the sainted namesake and first king of Hungary who lived around 1000AD. Walk a bit south and you can have a delicious coffee and torte at the famous Gerbaud cafe. With over 150 years of serving such delights, they’ve had ample time to get it right. Then continue down the Vici utca for the city’s main shopping district, ending at the Central Market where you can get fresh and dried food as well as some souvenirs of your stay.
And that says nothing about the open air parks, the thermal baths and saunas, the ruins, the spectacular city views, etc. Budapest is one of the fantastic places in the world.
Bratislava, Slovakia
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In the movie Eurotrip, Bratislava is pictured as a run-down city, devoid of culture and stuck in a post-Soviet state of perpetual slum. In reality, it is a city with many old buildings, well-manicured pedestrian alleys and cobbled streets lined with cafes. Its availability to tourists rivals some of Europe’s top destinations. As a part of the Schengen Agreement, travelers are allowed unfettered passage from full EU states. Nearly everywhere accepts Euros as currency.
I took a day-trip to the Slovakian capital with a native Vienan who’d never been. This is somewhat surprising, as the capital cities are the closest of all except the Republic of Congo and Democratic Republic of Congo. But they’re on opposite river banks and are essentially the same city so I consider that cheating.
Bratislava has a small old town on the North side of the Danube river, as well as the aforementioned Soviet-era buildings on the South side. The Novy Most, or “new bridge” separates the two and was a typical Soviet-style massacre of history for hideousness. They tore down quite a bit of the old city below the castle, including pretty much the entire Jewish quarter. But they did put a UFO-shaped restaurant on top of the off-kilter main posts of the bridge.
Bratislava must be the city with the highest per-capita fountain population in the world. There are dozens and dozens, ranging in age from under construction to several hundred years old. Some are sculpted figures and others are simply water shooting from a pool. It’s a bit odd. They’ve also got some odd statues. I’d have taken pictures but my camera was locked up in a Viennese hostel.
A giant castle overlooks the city. It sits atop a large and steep hill. Climbing it in the warm temperatures was worth it, I’m told. Unless it happens to be closed for renovations as it was when I went.
But the day wasn’t lost because the cafes and restaurants were quite good. Prices are about half of what they are in Vienna, as well. A nice respite from the empty wallet feeling you get from Western Europe.
meanderingwoods 
